All four Marion County football teams have a lot on the line this week, with a district title, two playoff berths and a first-round playoff game up for grabs.
There are a lot of different scenarios that could play out, so let’s break it down team by team.
Columbia
The Wildcats (8-1, 4-0) have one of the simplest scenarios of the bunch but also a ton to lose. Most assumed two weeks ago that knocking off Jefferson Davis County would all but assure a Region 8-3A title, but Seminary (7-3, 4-0) rose to the occasion to beat Jeff Davis as well to set up a winner-take-all Week 11 matchup.
Columbia will host a first-round playoff game regardless of the outcome Friday night at Seminary but is likely hungry for its first district championship since 2013 when it was a 4A school. A win would also likely earn Columbia the top seed in the South region of the 3A playoffs.
The Bulldogs are constructed very similarly to Columbia with two talented running backs (Marquis Crosby and Jordan Barrett) leading the offense and a front seven on the defense that is downright scary. They have five players with more than 10 tackles for loss, four with five or more sacks and are led by one of the top players in the state — 6-foot-4, 286-pound Mississippi State commit Nathan Pickering.
It’s going to be a battle that is won in the trenches, and Columbia head coach Chip Bilderback said he expects it to be a “knock-down, drag-out fight.”
West Marion
The Trojans (7-3, 1-3), meanwhile, do have the simplest scenario of the bunch: win and make the playoffs, lose and fail to qualify. After beginning the season 6-0, West Marion has struggled in district play and takes on a Tylertown squad (4-6, 1-3) that is much better than its record. The winner Friday night claims the fourth and final playoff spot from Region 8-3A.
The Trojans haven’t missed the playoffs since 2009 but have their hands full with the Chiefs. The consistent theme this year from both West Marion head coach Brad Duncan and Bilderback is that Tylertown is the fastest and most athletic team they’ve seen.
The Chiefs operate out of the spread offensively and use a lot of motion to disguise where they are going with the ball. Four different players have touched the ball at least 50 times, and quarterback Jashon Baker is a threat to both throw and run. It’s going to be key for new West Marion stars Octavious Harvey and Jartavious Martin to play with their eyes and stay disciplined.
Defensively, Tylertown uses it speed to run sideline to sideline, and while it allows teams to sustain drives it does a great job of preventing big plays.
It’s another matchup of strength against strength with West Marion and Tylertown both using their superior athleticism to make up for their lack of size. One will move on and the other will watch the playoffs from home.
East Marion
While the Eagles (4-5, 2-2) blew an opportunity to knock off the top team in Region 4-1A Friday night at home in a 30-18 loss to Stringer, they are still sitting pretty when it comes to making the playoffs.
East Marion has a great chance to clinch a playoff berth Friday night when they travel to Mount Olive (1-9, 1-4). It currently sits fourth in the district standing but leads three teams with only one win on the season (Mount Olive, Sacred Heart and Salem). The Eagles also have a chance to claim the third spot in the district if they beat Mount Olive then Resurrection Catholic (6-3, 3-2) in the season finale at home Nov. 2, but they would still go on the road in the first round of the playoffs either way.
The reason East Marion is primed for another playoff berth is how poor Mount Olive has been. The Pirates’ only win this season came against Salem (1-8), and they give up an average of 39.4 points per game. Even though the Eagles have been inconsistent against good competition this year, they have blown out the teams they have been expected to beat by a margin of 200-46, with an average score of 50 to 11.5.
The Eagles should earn a playoff berth Friday night, but if they plan on making a playoff run they need to clean up the turnovers against quality opponents.
Columbia Academy
Since the Cougars (3-7) compete in MAIS, they are already in the playoffs and earned the No. 9 seed in AAA. They will take on No. 8 Bayou Academy (6-4) in Cleveland Friday night.
Bayou Academy poses an interesting challenge for the Cougars because they are only the second pass-first team they have played all season. Columbia Academy didn’t fare well against West Marion’s passing attack, but that was to be expected.
CA head coach Randy Butler said Monday the Cougars will try to take away Bayou’s inside running attack early to force it to have to throw. While the Colts have had some success running the ball, most of their big plays have come through the air. However, they have also thrown 15 interceptions, which is likely what Butler is hoping for.
If the Cougars win, they will take on the winner between No. 1 Indianola Academy and No. 16 Park Place Christian Nov. 2.
Indianola has ended the Cougars’ season in the playoffs each of the past two years and is once again undefeated entering the postseason.
